Gas Technology Institute (GTI) Flexible Test Furnace
Part of an ongoing project to
develop environmental and efficiency improvements for industrial
burners, combustors, and furnaces
Eric Schreiber, Project Engineer, SECO/WARWICK
Dr. John Wagner, GTI Principal Combustion Engineer
 |
| Dr. John Wagner and
assistant preparing the test furnace for trials |
Gas Technology Institute (GTI), a leading energy research and development
organization based in the Chicago area, is constructing a
flexible furnace test facility for evaluating a wide-range of
industrial burners and combustion processes.
The test facility is part of an ongoing project to
develop environmental and efficiency improvements for industrial
burners, combustors, and furnaces.
The
facility will be used to evaluate the effects of furnace
geometry (e.g., furnace shape, burner locations, exhaust
locations, load locations) on thermal performance and emissions.
It will also be used for evaluating convection and radiation heating, velocity patterns, the impact of burner
operation on other burners, flame characteristics, heat release
patterns, and sensor measurements.
Researchers
will be able to alter the interior shape of the furnace to match
specific test needs. “This
facility will be unique among industrial test furnaces,” says
Dr. John Wagner, GTI Principal Combustion Engineer, and manager
of the flexible furnace project.
“It will be used for several current and future GTI
projects as well as to support collaborative industry research
in combustion, energy efficiency and heat transfer.”
This project
began with a concept design phase. Personnel
from GTI and SECO/WARWICK
mutually developed the furnace design to satisfy the project
requirements established by GTI.;
Unlike most furnaces, which are designed around production
requirements, this furnace was based on test criteria such
as: maximum temperature, BTU inputs, multiple sight ports,
adjustable load space, and moveable burner/exhaust ports.
From the beginning, flexibility has been the focus of the
design. The
challenge was to fit as much as possible in a predetermined
space.
|
|
| GTI Test Furnace can test loads up to
4,000 pounds and operates at 2800 degrees F |
Furnace features include:
- Internal dimensions of 10 feet long x 6 feet wide x 6
feet high
- Maximum temperature rating up to 2800 degrees F
- 1/4 inch thick steel plate construction with structural
steel members used throughout the design.
SECO/WARWICK furnace structures are designed for an
allowable stress of 10,000 pounds per square inch. This design feature provides for robust
equipment that has a long service life.
- Raised support base to allow access to the underside of the
furnace, which has test ports that extend up through the floor.
- Capability to hold material loads up to 4,000 pounds.
- 15 inch thick brick lined floor and 12 inch thick blanket module
lined walls and roof. The
hot face of the blanket modules is made of high alumina ceramic
fiber blanket, with the cold face comprised of 2600 degrees F
ceramic fiber blanket. This
module configuration was selected for its low thermal
conductivity, low shrinkage and resistance to atmospheres at
2800 degrees F. The
brick floor has a top layer of high alumina brick, with a more
typical insulating firebrick cold face.
The top layer was chosen for its wear resistance and
ability to support the load piers, where the load rests.
- The furnace shell is atmosphere tight construction for the
option to run oxygen free environments
- Included in the internal construction are adjustable and
removable walls to change the configuration of furnace.
- 17 mounted burner locations are positioned around the furnace,
eight of which can be used alternately for exhaust.
Each burner port can be blocked off with a removable
plug. Burner ports
can handle a burner block with a maximum size of 18 inch and any
size smaller. The
burner ports can accommodate direct fired or radiant tube
burners.
- 46 sight ports are positioned
around the furnace and can be used as probe or sample ports.
These sight ports were designed for continuous duty at
2800 degrees F, without the use of blast gates.
The sight ports will allow the furnace operator to
visually observe conditions inside the furnace.
When used as probe or sample ports, temperature readings
or atmosphere samples can be taken.
- 24 adjustable, water-cooled loads
line the sides of furnace.
These water-cooled tubes suspend through the roof in
pairs and are attached by a pulley system to hand cranks.
These cranks are used to raise and lower the tube
insertion length into the furnace.
The tubes will be used as simulated loads, from which
data can be obtained regarding heat transfer.
- 6 adjustable, water-cooled
platecoils are installed along the floor of the furnace.
These platecoils were designed to cover almost the entire
floor of the furnace. These
platecoils will be used as simulated loads similar to the 24
tubes along the walls.
- The furnace is equipped with removable load-support rails, which
allow loading by fork truck.
- The
manually operated, double-hinged door utilizes four clamping air
cylinders to ensure a tight seal and protect the integrity of
the atmosphere.
For more information on research,
training and testing in the GTI research facility contact:
Gas Technology Institute
Des Plaines, IL
Phone: 847/768-0709
E-mail: steve.sikirica@gastechnology.org
About Gas Technology Institute
GTI is the leading research, development and training organization
serving the natural gas industry. For more than 60 years, GTI
has been meeting the nation's energy and environmental
challenges by developing technology-based solutions for
consumers, industry, and government. Customers
include energy industry companies, equipment manufacturers,
government agencies, and other organizations. GTI is an
independent technology organization, established as an Illinois
not-for-profit corporation. http://www.gastechnology.org
|
